Surge in Complaints Sparks Urgent Review
According to a statement released by JAMB's Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, the Board is responding to what it called an “unusual volume of complaints” since the release of the UTME results last Friday. These complaints reportedly center on issues such as incomplete exam questions, technical glitches during the computer-based test, and shockingly low scores.
Ordinarily, JAMB's post-examination review takes place months after the exams, but due to the intensity and scale of the backlash, the process has been fast-tracked. “We are particularly concerned about the unusual complaints originating from a few states within the federation. We are currently scrutinising these complaints in detail,” the statement noted.
The Board emphasized that it is reviewing all three critical phases of the UTME—registration, examination administration, and result processing. It assured the public that any verified anomalies would be addressed through remedial measures.
Expert Panel Engaged to Audit Process
To ensure an impartial and thorough investigation, JAMB has engaged a team of external experts, including members of the Computer Professionals Association of Nigeria, chief examiners from tertiary institutions, specialists from the Educational Assessment and Research Network in Africa, and vice chancellors.
“If it is determined that there were indeed glitches, we will implement appropriate remedial measures promptly, as we do in the case of the examinations themselves,” the Board said.
Legal Threats and Online Outrage
The backlash has extended beyond formal complaints. Thousands of candidates are reportedly preparing to take legal action against JAMB, citing examination malfunctions and questionable results. The growing frustration has spilled onto social media, where the hashtag #ThisIsNotMyResult has been trending, amplifying stories of inconsistent question displays and poor user experiences during the test.
The controversy intensified after JAMB disclosed that over 1.5 million of the 1.9 million candidates scored below 200 out of a possible 400 marks. The statistic triggered national debate, with many questioning the credibility of the results and the fairness of the assessment system.
Government Officials Stand Firm
Despite the uproar, government officials have stood by the Board’s conduct of the exam. Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, appearing on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, attributed the mass failure to the effectiveness of JAMB’s anti-malpractice technologies. He praised the computer-based system for making cheating “nearly impossible,” even recommending its adoption by other examination bodies such as WAEC and NECO.
Similarly, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, defended the results, asserting that the 2025 outcome was not without precedent. He cited historical performance trends to argue that the current statistics are in line with previous years.
Calls for Transparency Persist
Nonetheless, the controversy shows no signs of abating. With mounting calls for transparency in exam administration and result collation, JAMB faces increasing pressure to restore public confidence in the integrity of its examination process. The ongoing review and the Board's next steps will likely be pivotal in shaping perceptions going forward.